DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11715#0105
CAIRO TO ASSOUAN.
the northern parts of the chain, and they recede farther from the river, so as to inclose
an amphitheatre of considerable extent, through the centre of which the river runs
with a broad expanse of verdure on either bank. Within the area inclosed by these
mighty bulwarks stood edifices, the ruins of which fill the spectator with awe-struck
wonder. Avenues of statues and sphinxes, miles in length, ran along the plain, leading
to propylons a hundred feet in height, through which kings and warriors, priests and
courtiers, passed into the temples and palaces which lay beyond. Above all towered
the colossal images of the Pharaohs, looking down upon the city, and far over the plain
at their feet, like gigantic warders. As I wandered day after day with ever-growing
amazement amongst these relics of ancient magnificence, I felt that if all the ruins in
Europe—Classical, Celtic, and Mediaeval—were brought together into one centre, they
would fall far short both in extent and grandeur of those of this single Egyptian
city.
Its original name was T-Ape, the head or capital, of which Thebes is a corruption.
By the Hebrews it was known as No-Amon, the abode of Amon, the god to whom it
was specially dedicated. References to its greatness and prophe-
cies of its downfall are frequent in Scripture. Among the most
striking of these is that of Nahum, when, taunting Nineveh,
he says : " Art thou better than No-Amon that was situated by
the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was
the sea-like stream, and whose wall was the sea-like stream?
Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite ; Put
and Lubim were her helpers. Yet she was carried away, she
went into captivity."1 The present desolation of the magnificent
city affords an emphatic commentary on the denunciations of
prophecy.
To depict and describe in detail the stupendous ruins which
cover the great Theban plain would require many volumes like
the present. We can only glance at some of the most important
On the western bank, in what was called the Libyan suburb
, , ill a n brick with the cae-
stands the great temple-palace known as the Kamesseum, or TOuche or eameses il
Memnonium. It was built by Rameses il, whose favorite title,
Mi-Amon, the beloved of Amon, was probably corrupted by the Greeks into Memnon,
and in this form has passed into the languages of modern Europe. We can yet
read upon its walls the achievements of the great king. We see him leading on his
armies, slaughtering his enemies, receiving the spoils of captured cities, or peacefully
administering his mighty empire, then co-extensive with the known world. Over all
towered the colossal image of Pharaoh himself. No description, no measurement, gives
any adequate idea of the bulk of this enormous statue, now prostrate in the dust. It
was formed out of a block of syenite granite, estimated to weigh when entire nearly
nine hundred tons. It measures twenty-two feet from shoulder to shoulder ; a toe is
three feet long, the foot five feet across. It is now generally agreed that this was the
king who knew not Joseph and who so cruelly oppessed the Israelites. His mummy
was discovered at Deir-el-Bahari, in 1881.2
1 Nahum iii. 8_10. The prophet seems here to be speaking- of the future and foreseen desolatio'". of Thebes, as though it were
already accomplished : but the date of Nahum's prophecy is very uncertain. 2 See Section IV. of this volume.
lol
the northern parts of the chain, and they recede farther from the river, so as to inclose
an amphitheatre of considerable extent, through the centre of which the river runs
with a broad expanse of verdure on either bank. Within the area inclosed by these
mighty bulwarks stood edifices, the ruins of which fill the spectator with awe-struck
wonder. Avenues of statues and sphinxes, miles in length, ran along the plain, leading
to propylons a hundred feet in height, through which kings and warriors, priests and
courtiers, passed into the temples and palaces which lay beyond. Above all towered
the colossal images of the Pharaohs, looking down upon the city, and far over the plain
at their feet, like gigantic warders. As I wandered day after day with ever-growing
amazement amongst these relics of ancient magnificence, I felt that if all the ruins in
Europe—Classical, Celtic, and Mediaeval—were brought together into one centre, they
would fall far short both in extent and grandeur of those of this single Egyptian
city.
Its original name was T-Ape, the head or capital, of which Thebes is a corruption.
By the Hebrews it was known as No-Amon, the abode of Amon, the god to whom it
was specially dedicated. References to its greatness and prophe-
cies of its downfall are frequent in Scripture. Among the most
striking of these is that of Nahum, when, taunting Nineveh,
he says : " Art thou better than No-Amon that was situated by
the rivers, that had the waters round about it, whose rampart was
the sea-like stream, and whose wall was the sea-like stream?
Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite ; Put
and Lubim were her helpers. Yet she was carried away, she
went into captivity."1 The present desolation of the magnificent
city affords an emphatic commentary on the denunciations of
prophecy.
To depict and describe in detail the stupendous ruins which
cover the great Theban plain would require many volumes like
the present. We can only glance at some of the most important
On the western bank, in what was called the Libyan suburb
, , ill a n brick with the cae-
stands the great temple-palace known as the Kamesseum, or TOuche or eameses il
Memnonium. It was built by Rameses il, whose favorite title,
Mi-Amon, the beloved of Amon, was probably corrupted by the Greeks into Memnon,
and in this form has passed into the languages of modern Europe. We can yet
read upon its walls the achievements of the great king. We see him leading on his
armies, slaughtering his enemies, receiving the spoils of captured cities, or peacefully
administering his mighty empire, then co-extensive with the known world. Over all
towered the colossal image of Pharaoh himself. No description, no measurement, gives
any adequate idea of the bulk of this enormous statue, now prostrate in the dust. It
was formed out of a block of syenite granite, estimated to weigh when entire nearly
nine hundred tons. It measures twenty-two feet from shoulder to shoulder ; a toe is
three feet long, the foot five feet across. It is now generally agreed that this was the
king who knew not Joseph and who so cruelly oppessed the Israelites. His mummy
was discovered at Deir-el-Bahari, in 1881.2
1 Nahum iii. 8_10. The prophet seems here to be speaking- of the future and foreseen desolatio'". of Thebes, as though it were
already accomplished : but the date of Nahum's prophecy is very uncertain. 2 See Section IV. of this volume.
lol